1. Take care of those bald spots

Overseeding bald spots in the fall is like Rogaine for your lawn. Autumn's a good time for aerating, too.

2. Leave ornamental grass alone

Don't cut back the tops of ornamental grasses before early spring. The top growth helps insulate the root, keeping the source of next year's growth nice and snug.

3. Empty the tank

Store your mower with an empty tank over the winter. Have a bit of gas left? Mow over the leaves on your lawn for a natural mulch.

4. Speaking of mulch…

Mulching in fall can be even more beneficial for plants than doing it in spring. Spreading two to three inches of mulch around trees and shrubs helps protect roots from frost and helps retain moisture during cold, dry winter months.

5. Maintain your hose and pipes

Drain your hoses and store them in the basement, shed or garage. Blow out your sprinkler system. Drain your water features. Stash watering cans, especially galvanized steel cans, indoors. Water left over the winter can freeze, expand and damage them all.

6. Put the tools to bed

Before storing your garden tools for the winter, clean them off and, if needed, sharpen them. Rub a bit of linseed oil into wooden handles to prevent cracking. When it's time to pull them out in the spring, you'll be ready to go.

A well-kept yard can increase the value of your home.

Abbotsford is experiencing a surge in development in its residential, industrial and agricultural sectors and work is beginning on what developers say will be the tallest residential tower between Surrey and Calgary.  

Abbotsford-based Quantum Properties is putting up the 26-storey mixed-use tower, named Mahogany at Mill Lake, at Gladwin Road and Bevan Avenue. The condo tower will also have 30,000 square feet of commercial space on the first three floors, including a medical clinic, pharmacy and restaurant, said Diane Delves, the firm’s president and CEO.

“Our buyers are basically the down-sizers,” she said in an interview last week. “The boomers who are cashing out of their valuable houses … so they can free up some time to travel.” She said the tower will stand 80 metres tall, making it the tallest residential building between Surrey and Calgary. In Kelowna, the Landmark VI office tower stands 81 metres, and the Sky at Waterscapes residential tower reaches 78 metres, according to SkyscaperPage.com.

More people are coming to Abbotsford seeking lower land costs and business opportunities, she said. “Abbotsford is not a bedroom community,” Delves said. “About 70 per cent of the people live and work here.” She said her company operates about 150 other residential units in the city. “We count our vacancies at like, one day a month,” she said. “It’s an incredibly tight market here.” The tower is expected to be completed in 2018. “We’re starting to go up,” she said. “The crane just arrived so we’ll start pouring concrete imminently.”

Abbotsford is experiencing significant increases in development projects as well as inquiries by developers, said Wendy Dupley, Abbotsford’s director of economic development.

“Our numbers are showing significant increases,” she said. “Really starting from fall of last year.” Construction value in Abbotsford in the first quarter of this year totalled $52.8 million across all types — agricultural, commercial, industrial and residential. That’s up $12.4 million dollars from the same period last year, according to the city’s first-quarter development report.

Thinking of Investing and Selling in Abbotsford - I can help

Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes. Makeup should be tested ahead of time on a small patch of skin to ensure there are no unpleasant surprises on the big day.
• Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers. Then parents can do the cutting.
• Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. If you do use a candle, a votive candle is safest
• If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
• Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat.
• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.

The Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley Markets are doing amazing. Sellers are getting the prices they want, and Buyers no longer have to deal with Multiple Offers.

“National sales activity and average prices reached new heights in the first half of 2016 amid a growing supply shortage of single-family homes in British Columbia and Ontario, particularly in B.C.’s Lower Mainland as well as in and around the Greater Toronto Area,” CREA said in a release.

CREA expects sales will rebound in Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2017 as oil prices increase and the provincial economies improve. It expects minimal price growth in those provinces next year.

Thinking of Buying, Selling and Investing in this Market - contact me at 604-828-7331

Offer incentives

It’s a kind gesture to offer some sort of incentive to tenants during the time while the house is being listed. A slight reduction in rent could mean a lot to your tenant if you’re in a financial position to offer the discount. Other options may include offering maid/cleaning services free of charge, giving your renter gift cards for restaurants, local shops or movie theatres, or even throwing in a nice bottle of wine. These gestures may be of minimal cost to you, but can go a long way to making the process smoother. A happy tenant is far more likely to be cooperative and helpful during the listing process.

Respect their time

Until your property is sold, it is important to respect the fact that it is still the place your tenant calls “home.” It’s important to be open and honest with showing timelines and schedules. One tip is to determine days and times of the week for showings that are most convenient for your tenant. Once those times are determined, advise your real estate agent to book during that schedule.

Work together and communicate

By working together, the situation may end up being a win-win for both yourself and your tenant. Coach them through how to show potential buyers they are great tenants so that the new buyers may want to keep renting to them. The more cooperative, clean and tidy the tenant is, the more likely they won’t have to move if an investor is purchasing the home. It’s a good idea to have your real estate agent introduce him/herself to your tenant early in the process so that they can explain what will be happening and how the renter may be impacted. In some cases, real estate agents may be able to act as an intermediary, to keep the flow of conversation going.

Help them out

Do your best to find someone who will either continue to be a landlord for your tenant, or, be sure to give your tenant more than the minimum notice required by law. Some sellers take this a step further by waiving the rent payment for the final month of the renter’s occupancy if they are helpful during the selling process. In situations where the tenant is forced to move out following the sale, you may want to offer assistance in helping them locate a new place to live. By helping your tenant, he/she will feel more positively about the situation, and will likely return the favour by being more cooperative throughout the time your property is listed.